Chronicling our journey from military life to the real world …

Army Life

I asked my friend Leigh last summer for some ideas on what to name this blog. She is super creative (and runs this awesome website for personalized gifts). Her first suggestion was almost immediate: “Beyond the Gilded Cage.” I got it right away. I am a huge fan of the rock band Rush. I’ve seen them […]

Twenty-five years ago today, I married my best friend and the love of my life. Together, we embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. Mark and I had lived together for about two and a half years and were already considering a ceremony that summer. But like many in the military, our wedding was a […]

This week we are on vacation in Italy, and my husband and kids are enjoying the ski slopes. This got me thinking … Italy is the sixth different country where my kids have skied, the others being the U.S, Canada, Germany, Austria and France. How many kids who are 11 and 14 years old can […]

Less than a year from now, my husband Mark will retire from the Army after 26 years on active duty. He was awarded a college ROTC scholarship shortly after we started dating in high school. He served in the National Guard and the Reserves and got commissioned as a second lieutenant while we were both […]